


a creature of appetites

by ElasticElla



Category: Still Star-Crossed (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 14:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21411490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: The Doge has Princess Isabella eating tea cakes and talking nonsense, and Valentina can already see the iron-tipped spears at their gates.
Relationships: Princess Isabella/Valentina
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5
Collections: femslashficlets: queer women's literature quotes challenge





	a creature of appetites

**Author's Note:**

> for the fae ficathon, [come join us \o/](https://elasticella.dreamwidth.org/22891.html)  
title from cbr's the blackest lily

The idiot invited a mortal princess to Court. Not that Valentina doesn’t see the appeal, has toyed with her own handful of virgin royals. But they were sent back or traded or befell a tragic accident. No loose ends, that’s basic maintaining the sovereignty. 

The Doge has Princess Isabella eating tea cakes and talking nonsense, and Valentina can already see the iron-tipped spears at their gates. The girl’s eyes keep flitting about the room, catching on all the magic- hesitating on horns, widening with wings, smiling at the air’s sparkles. 

War is easy- _if_ properly prepared for. The humans have numbers, can overwhelm them through that alone. Something the Doge is all too happy to ignore. (Much like any meeting without adequate dancers and fruit.)

“Now, now Miss Isabella-”

“Princess,” the human grumbles under her breath, and Valentina takes her seat, amused. 

“-without a, ah, incomparable gift I cannot possibly hope to give your brother the promise of our kingdom’s aid.” 

She doesn’t quite hide the furious offense in her brow quick enough, so the girl at least knows what the Doge speaks of. The princess excuses herself to her rooms, an angry set in her shoulders, and the Doge chuckles. 

“Prepare her, will you?” 

Valentina heads to the guest chambers, briefly considers sending Helena. She’s a soft touch, would doubtlessly get along with her- but Val likes the spine on this one. And with her other plans in motion, little Isabella visited at the optimal time. (Any other week and she’d be serving the girl up for the Doge, tongue curling around the truth to make it palatable.) 

But today, today Valentina is thinking of the future. Of iron shavings carefully sprinkled into wine glasses over the course of a year, building in his stomach. One more turn of the moon, and he’ll succumb and Valentina will no longer rule from the shadows. She no longer needs a figurehead, and soon she’ll have a Princess of her own- what more legitimacy could one ask for? 

There is only seduction left, and Valentina would never fail such a simple task. There will be apologies and whispers, surreptitious glances and confessions that Isabella will always be bound to the realm of Fae. That there is a loophole through binding, through matrimony, that Valentina would grant whatever she wishes to make up for her forebearer’s faults. 

Faeries are parasites, it’s a truth often avoided. That their kingdom’s existence depends on mortals, that wishes and beliefs and stories support the land more than their own magic. Valentina embraces the knowledge, will never let the Court fall under her. 

Val will slip into the girl’s heart like a weed, puncture through each facet, unfold and expose it- Isabella will be hers in every way conceivable. Adjusting her necklace, Valentina smiles, looks just the right amount of gorgeous and other-worldly for this conversation, knocking on the door.

(She is a proud faerie, most are. Valentina does not expect Isabella to climb into her heart as well.)


End file.
